John mumma



l@uitrit tatrs atrnt @fitta IOII'N MUMMA, 0F MIDDLETOWN, QIIIO.

Letters Patent No. 69,360, dated October I, 1867 g antedaterl September 23, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN MUMMA, of Middletown, in the county of Butler, in the State ot` Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Water-Wheels and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. I

Figure l represents my improved water-wheel with its chutes, gates, and operating mechanism as arranged in the forebay of a mill.

Figure 2 represents the curb in which the wheel with its shaft-step is placed.

Figure 3 represents the wheel and shaft.

Figure 4 represents the plate or disk to which the chutes are connected andv Figure 5 represents a cylindrical iioating gate.

My invention consists in thc use of tubular or funnel-shaped chutes and concave buckets, with a system of gates and connecting mechanism, whereby the water is regulated in quantity, and directed upon the buckets, which are inclined at a slight angle to a vertical line, the jet passing thrdugh the chutes, being concentrated with its entire power upon thc inclined buckets, as will be herein more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, A indicates the frame of a forebay. B is a forked lever to which the tloatinggate C is connected by 'the rods D D. E is a roller extending across the forebay, and projecting over its side. At the projecting' end of this roller there is a pulley, F, by means of which the system of ball-gates ct a t are raised and lowered through the connecting chains Zn 6 b. II is a rack or screen of wire cloth, surrounding the gates and chutes d tZ, to prevent obstructions from passing into the chutes. The curb J is placed with its ilange c upon the annular diaphragm in the forebay; the diaphragm K being provided with a circular opening ot a size corresponding with the circumference ci' the curb J. X is the bridge-tree acrossthe curb, in which the wheel-shaft is stepped. The chute-plate or disk I, which is also placed upon the diaphragm K over the curbv iiange e, is provided with a serios oi' inclined funnel-mouthed tubular chutes, d d. The guide-rodsff are secured to the disk I, and pass through the loose hub a', through which the wheel-shaft L passes. Iwo rings LL surround the wheel-shaft, and to the upper ring t two of the chains 6 are attached. These chains are connected to the roller E. 'Ihe other chains Z1 b to which the ball-gates are attached Yare connected with the arms 'it' radiating from the lower-ring 7i. The guidelrodsff which pass through the hub or loose ring r, extend through holes in the two rings t z, and serve the purpose of guiding the suspended ball-gates a a in their descent upon their respective chutes. m on are iioats of cork, upon rods 'n n, the latter being attached to the cylindrical gate C, for'the purpose of regulating its elevation for the entrance of water beneath it. The iioatingl gate C is only necessary when it is desired to regulate the how of water to the wheel by agovernor. 0 is a weight resting upon the end of the forked lever B, and as thislever is hinged at one end to'the forebay, and is rigidly connected to the floating gate C -by the rods D D, the weight which may be adjusted in the notches p will serve to cause the gate C to stand at any desired elevation for the admission of the water. The hub or ring r is tted close around the shaft L, but will not create friction by the revolutions ot` the shaft within it. By means of this ring fr a leather packing or washer is held in'contaet with the shaft Ii, and upon the disk Ib The object of this construction is to prevent waste of water around the shaft, and at the same time avoid friction- M is the hub of the water-wheel, of which Il is the periphery. 4Between the periphery N of the hub, and the outer ring I), the buckets S are secured. These buckets approximate a semioval form, and are curved laterally to tit theperiphery of the hub M. 'lhey are also formed in the arc of 'a circle longitudinally as well as transversely. The buckets S stand at an inclination of about thirty degrees to a horizontal line. The upper vends ot' the buckets are mede with an abrupt curve forming a hood or cap, V. The object of this form of bucket is to concent-rate the'jet of water introduced through the inclined funnel-mouthed chutes d, and prevent it from lateral action upon'the'adjucent parts oi the wheel, and at the same time facilitate its discharge as soon as its direct action and power for propcllii'ig the wheel are exhausted. The buckets are arranged round the hub M of the wheel so as to overlap each other, as represented in the drawings, and the concave faces of the buckets receive the jets of water from vthe chutes at such an angle as to most ettectually propel the wheels revolutions. It will be readily understood that the water,'in passingthrough the chutes inclined slightly from a vertical line, will act with greater power upon the buckets, than when directed thereon in a horizontal line, and the benefit is also obvious that results from the gravitating action of the water upon buckets standing at an acute angle tozthe horizon, because in this ease the water is wholly freed from the wheel a's soon as it leaves the bucket. These are advantages which cannot result in thc use of wheels ,with vertical buckets and central discharge. By the use of my tubular chutes, the water used to propel a. wheel may be readily and correctly gauged without loss of head, as is the case generally. It will be observed that all the water must pass through the wheel and out through the curb J without any waste, which is unavoidable where the wheel with its case is submerged in a forebay. In using my wheel, the cylindrical gate C will be properly adjusted by means of thehinged lever B, weight o, aud'oatsm, to admit the desired quantity of water, and by the rigid suspending rods D l.) this gate may be submerged to any extent necessary. The water will flow through the screen-guard H and fill the space over the disk I, and by revolving the shaft or roller E, the spider, consisting of the rings 7L h and rods z', will be elevated by the chains b, causing the ball-gates ato be raised from their seats on the mouths of the chutes Z for the passage of the water upon the buckets S, which will propel the wheel. The ball-gates are suspended at different heights, so as to graduate the water to be used as may be desired.

Having fully described my improvements in wat`crlvflreels, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent as my invention, is

1. The elongated concave buckets S, terminating at their upper ends with the cap V, constructed,arranged,

and operating in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The floating cylindrical gate C, in combination with floats m, lever B, and rods D, arranged and operating substantially as described.

3. The cylindrical rack or screen H, in combination with chutes d and gate C, arranged as described for the purpose specied. Y

4. The combination of the ball-gates L with chutes d, operating substantially as specified for the purpose set forth.

5. The rings 7L h, arms 2, chains b, guide-rodsf, and roller E, arranged in relation to the ball-gatesv a, all substantially as and for the purposei specified. l

6. The chute-disk I with its packing-ring 7j, in combination with chutes :i and annular diaphragm K arranged above the wheel and its curb J, all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoiset my hand.

JOHN MUMMA.

Witnesses:

H. P. K. Pneu, A. L. Pneu. 

